Shaking water out of soil

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 2015 Shaking water out of soil Christian H. Mohr; Christian H. Mohr * 1Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Potsdam, Potsdam 14476, Germany2Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California–Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA *E-mail: cmohr@uni-potsdam.de Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Michael Manga; Michael Manga 2Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California–Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Chi-yuen Wang; Chi-yuen Wang 2Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California–Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar James W. Kirchner; James W. Kirchner 2Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California–Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA3Department of Environmental Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH, Zürich 8092, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Axel Bronstert Axel Bronstert 1Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Potsdam, Potsdam 14476, Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2015) 43 (3): 207–210. https://doi.org/10.1130/G36261.1 Article history received: 10 Sep 2014 rev-recd: 05 Dec 2014 accepted: 12 Dec 2014 first online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share MailTo Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Christian H. Mohr, Michael Manga, Chi-yuen Wang, James W. Kirchner, Axel Bronstert; Shaking water out of soil. Geology 2015;; 43 (3): 207–210. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G36261.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Moderate to large earthquakes can increase the amount of water flowing in streams. Previous interpretations and models assume that the extra water originates in the saturated zone. Here we show that earthquakes may also release water from the unsaturated zone when the seismic energy is sufficient to overcome the threshold of soil water retention. Soil water may then be released into aquifers, increasing streamflow. After the M8.8 Maule, Chile, earthquake, the discharge in some headwater catchments of the Chilean coastal range increased, and the amount of extra water in the discharge was similar to the total amount of water available for release from the unsaturated zone. Assuming rapid recharge of this water to the water table, a groundwater flow model that accounts for evapotranspiration and water released from soils can reproduce the increase in discharge as well as the enhanced diurnal discharge variations observed after the earthquake. Thus the unsaturated zone may play a previously unappreciated, and potentially significant, role in shallow hydrological responses to earthquakes. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.